Begonia plant named ‘Rebecca’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Rebecca’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; double flowers with numerous tepals that are yellow in color and held above and beyond the foliar plane; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Begonia×hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘REBECCA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia×hiemalis, commercially known as Elatior Begonia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Rebecca’.

The new Begonia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begonia×hiemalis ‘Blitz’, not patented. The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘Blitz’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Ermelo, The Netherlands in June, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by vegetative cuttings taken in a controlled greenhouse environment in Ermelo, The Netherlands since July, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Rebecca’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Rebecca’ as a new and distinct Begonia:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Double flowers with numerous tepals that are yellow in color         and held above and beyond the foliar plane.     -   5. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the parent, ‘Blitz’, in flower form as plants of ‘Blitz’ have semi-double flowers. In addition, flowers of plants of the new Begonia are larger than flowers of plants of ‘Blitz’.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of Begonia×hiemalis ‘Rhianne’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Ermelo, The Netherlands, plants of the new Begonia differed primarily from plants of ‘Rhianne’ in flower color as plants of ‘Rhianne’ had orange yellow-colored flowers. In addition, flowers of plants of the new Begonia had more tepals than flowers of plants of ‘Rhianne’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Rebecca’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close up view of the upper, lateral and lower surfaces of typical flowers and flower buds of ‘Rebecca’ (left) and the upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves of ‘Rebecca’ (right).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in 13-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Ermelo, The Netherlands, with commercial Begonia cultural practices. During the production of the plants, the average day temperature was 20° C. and the average night temperature was 18° C. Plants were eight weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia×hiemalis ‘Rebecca’. -   Commercial classification: Elatior Begonia. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of     Begonia×hiemalis ‘Blitz’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to develop roots.—About 20 days at temperatures of 20°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About five weeks at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white to orange brown in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense; plants of             the new Begonia have not been observed to form tubers. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form.—Upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant             habit, inverted triangle; freely branching with good stem             and stem base strength; flowers are double and positioned             above the foliage.         -   Growth habit.—Vigorous growth habit; suitable for 11 to             14-cm containers; under optimal environmental and cultural             conditions, usually about eight weeks are required to             produce proportional 13-cm potted plants from cuttings;             vegetative shoots are formed at basal nodes and flowering             shoots are formed at upper nodes.         -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 35 cm to 40 cm.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Developing leaves,             length: About 4 cm. Developing leaves, width: About 7 cm.             Fully expanded leaves, length: About 14 cm. Fully expanded             leaves, width: About 16 cm. Shape: Roughly reniform,             asymmetrical. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate; asymmetric.             Margin: Bi-serrate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Venation             pattern: Palmate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:             Close to N137A to N137C. Developing leaves, lower surface:             Close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker             than 147A; venation, close to 146A to 146B. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: More grey than 148B; venation, close             to 146C to 146D. Petioles: Length: About 1.5 cm to 10 cm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144B to 144C; with development,             color becoming closer to more green than 152D to 166B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Double flowers with tepals arranged in             axillary cymes; usually 9 to 15 flowers per cyme; numerous             cymes in flower simultaneously; flowers positioned above and             beyond the foliar plane; flowering continuous.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering four weeks             after planting; plants will flower year round regardless of             nyctoperiod, however plants flower earlier and more             abundantly from mid-February until November in the Northern             Hemisphere.         -   Flowers.—Shape: Rounded; rose-like. Diameter: About 6 cm to             7 cm. Depth (height): About 2.5 cm to 3 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to             4 mm. Color: Close to 154D.         -   Tepals.—Arrangement: Rosette. Quantity per flower: Numerous,             typically about 10 to 20 per flower. Size: Outer tepals,             length: About 3.5 cm. Outer tepals, width: About 4 cm. Inner             tepals, length: About 2.2 cm. Inner tepals, width: About             1.8 cm. Shape: Rounded flabellate. Apex: Rounded. Margin:             Mostly entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; satiny. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 9A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 10C. Fully             opened, outer petals, upper surface: Close to 12A. Fully             opened, outer petals, lower surface: Close to 13D. Fully             opened, inner petals, upper surface: Close to 6A. Fully             opened, inner petals, lower surface: Close to 8B.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity/arrangement: Two, opposite; sessile.             Shape: Rounded. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 144B.         -   Peduncles.—Angle: Erect. Length: About 6 cm. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A to 144B.         -   Pedicels.—Angle: Erect. Length: About 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 154D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed. Pistils: None             observed.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been observed             as reproductive organs are not formed. -   Postproduction longevity: Plants last about six weeks under interior     conditions. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Begonia has not been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 10° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘Rebecca’ as illustrated and described. 